1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to storage and retrieval systems. In particular, the invention is directed towards a hierarchical storage and retrieval system for a computer or a series of interconnected computers.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional backup devices usually employ a monolithic backup and retrieval system servicing a single server with attached storage devices. These systems usually control all aspects of a data backup or retrieval, including timing the backup, directing the files to be backed up, directing the mode of the archival request, and directing the storage are not scalable and often direct only one type of backup and retrieval system, whether it is a network backup or a single machine backup.
If a backup software program failed for a particular computing device, a chance exists that the information for the backup suite would also be lost. Information about the activities of the backup program may be corrupted or lost. Additionally, without reinstallation, the backup program could not direct the backup of the particular computing device, and important information may not be backed up until the re-establishment of the backup program on the computing device.
Further, with distributed computing devices, it is necessary to micromanage each backup program on each computing device to maintain consistency in the backup activities of all backup programs. No external control can be asserted over multiple backup programs from a centralized location. Many other problems and disadvantages of the prior art will become apparent to one skilled in the art after comparing such prior art with the present invention as described herein.